







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| How much do you pay for your room? | |
| Do you think electric stoves are better? | |
| I'm happy to hear that. | |
| I'm on my way to Brighton, nearly there! | |
| Hi, is your cat okay? | |
| You know, she is normally an extremely quiet and calm person. | |
| But it has expired and it has a hole in it. | |
| You need to change planes at some point on the way. | |
| Do you have any brothers or sisters? | |
| I don't know, maybe it helps a bit! | |
| What kind of trick is that? | |
| Is there anything else I can do for you, love? | |
| No worries Mike, as I said, he only does it when he is stressed. | |
| Oh, sorry, I didn't know I wasn't allowed to order what I want! | |
| I mostly cook meat, fish and chicken dishes. | |
| The rest of the house is okay, but the kitchen is a bit dirty. | |
| The recipe is for 6 people. | |
| Hmm.. yes, I need mushrooms, stock, celery... | |
| I feel hungry, too. | |
| Hey, the water is boiling, do you want me to pour it into a pot? | |